Crack!
Within Shunning Palace.
Noble Lady Guo accidentally shattered a teacup.
She felt the world spin before her eyes. The Northern Frontier was requesting a princess of the empire for a marriage alliance.
Yet, among the princesses of this generation, only Zhiyi was of marriageable age.
Consort Xuan: "We must not panic at a time like this. You are Zhiyi's mother, you absolutely must stay steady. His Majesty has not issued an explicit decree; nothing is settled yet."
Noble Lady Guo gripped her wrist tightly. "Right. I will beg His Majesty. Zhiyi is His Majesty's daughter. If I plead with him earnestly, his heart will soften."
Consort Xuan could only soothe her, though her own heart felt heavy.
The news of the Northern Frontier's marriage proposal arrived last night, but only spread widely today.
The morning court at Qianji Palace would certainly discuss this matter, but she did not believe the outcome of the deliberations would be favorable for Zhiyi.
Qianji Palace.
The atmosphere was intense.
"Our Great Zhou cannot afford a large-scale war now. The Northern Frontier intends to sue for peace. To preserve our national strength, a princess marriage alliance is the best choice."
"I report to Your Majesty. King Kulu is a hardliner. As soon as Princess A'Xiang died, he seized the royal court. His wolfish ambition is plain to see! His proposal to Great Zhou is merely a delaying tactic to stabilize the Northern Frontier's internal affairs after his plundering of our border cities!"
"Are you suggesting we go to war instead? The disaster relief in the three prefectures is not yet resolved. His Majesty has also issued a decree exempting those three prefectures from taxes for three years to allow recovery. The state treasury is depleted by relief efforts. If war breaks out, the Northern Frontier will be engulfed in flames, and Nanning is also watching us covetously."
"When we are stretched thin fighting on both fronts, will you go and repel the invaders?!"
"Are the military officers of our court raised to just eat free rice?"
"Our dynasty does not fear war, but the lives of our soldiers are precious. If we can secure peace at the smallest cost, why not? Princess A'Xiang's marriage alliance brought Great Zhou twenty years of peace!"
"Military power in the Northern Frontier is now split. Currently, Marquis Changping, Xia Hong, is incapacitated and can no longer command the army. Both morale and military discipline are affected. With internal troubles and external threats, this is not a good time to start a war..."
The civil and military officials below argued until their faces were red. Emperor Chongzhao sat on the high throne, silent.
Only after the ministers below had argued their fill did they look to the only one who could make the decision.
"We beg Your Majesty to decide!"
"Please, Your Majesty, decide!"
Emperor Chongzhao pinched the bridge of his nose.
He looked at the princes standing at the front.
"What are your thoughts?"
The Fourth and Fifth Princes spoke simultaneously: "Your son believes a marriage alliance is inadvisable."
The Sixth Prince, though he did not want war, knew that Little Seven was close to Zhiyi. If Zhiyi were sent for the alliance, Little Seven would likely be heartbroken.
He was someone who always sided with family over reason, and also said: "Naturally, we are unwilling."
Emperor Chongzhao: "What about you two?"
The First Prince: "It rests entirely on Father Emperor's sage judgment."
The Second Prince bowed: "It rests entirely on Father Emperor's sage judgment."
Aside from the ministers, none of the princes were foolish enough to stick their necks out at this critical juncture and directly say they agreed to Princess Zhiyi going for the alliance, unless someone wanted to completely break with the Seventh Prince.
Emperor Chongzhao was silent for a moment. "The matter of Zhiyi's marriage alliance... let me consider it further. First, summon Xia Fuyang from Xianghe Prefecture to the capital."
After court adjourned.
Grand Tutor Fang walked along the road, and as he walked, he couldn't help but sigh.
His Majesty summoning the son of Marquis Changping to the capital, rather than directly sending him to the Northern Frontier to help Marquis Chijian stabilize the divided military situation, indicated that he had already made his choice in his heart.
The delay in issuing the order was merely due to lingering reservations.
After court, the Fifth Prince immediately rushed to the Princes' Quarters.
Standing outside Pinggui Courtyard, a hint of urgency in his eyes, he called out: "Little Seven!"
A spot of white barked. Yi Shier came out from inside and stood at the doorway. "His Highness is not here."
The Fifth Prince inwardly thought, This is bad. "Did he go to Zichen Hall?"
Yi Shier: "Yes."
Fifth Prince: "How long ago?"
Yi Shier: "A while."
That meant he had left right around the time court adjourned.
The Fifth Prince turned to leave, but on his way to Zichen Hall, he was intercepted by the Fourth Prince.
"Fourth Brother?"
Fourth Prince: "It's useless for you to go and plead."
Fifth Prince: "I'm not going to plead with Father Emperor."
Fourth Prince: "Then you...?"
"I just wanted to stop Little Seven. He has never experienced Father Emperor's cold side. If he goes to argue with Father Emperor, Fourth Brother, who do you think will get hurt?" The Fifth Prince smiled bitterly. "I can't catch up now. Perhaps I should have gone directly to outside Zichen Hall right after court."
Early winter.
The sky was overcast, the wind cold.
Zichen Hall.
Qu Dubian had been waiting outside the hall for a long time.
It was almost dark. This was the first time he had been stopped by the palace attendants guarding the door.
"Your Highness, it's not that this servant dares to stop you. It's truly that His Majesty has ordered no one is to be admitted," Chief Eunuch Yu said apologetically. "Please return first. The wind is cold; standing out here too long will make you catch a chill."
Qu Dubian: "I trouble Chief Eunuch Yu to announce me once more."
Seeing he showed no intention of leaving, Chief Eunuch Yu had no choice but to re-enter the hall.
"Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince will not leave."
Emperor Chongzhao paused while writing.
"...Fetch him a cloak."
Chief Eunuch Yu assented and went out. A moment later, he returned. "Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince declined it. He asked me to give you something."
Emperor Chongzhao: "What is it?"
Chief Eunuch Yu placed a neatly folded piece of black brocade on the desk. Unfolding it revealed a single character written on the black silk: "Promise."
Emperor Chongzhao set down his brush. "Let him in."
After Qu Dubian entered, Emperor Chongzhao smiled and said, "Coming to collect so soon? Speak, what do you want from your father?"
Qu Dubian: "Father, are you going to send my elder sister for the marriage alliance?"
Emperor Chongzhao's smile faded slightly. "The reason I did not wish to see you today was precisely to avoid you discussing this topic with me."
"The Northern Frontier's proposal this time is merely a stalling tactic. King Kulu's war with Great Zhou was to demonstrate his stance to the hardliners. Subsequently, suing for peace is because he needs time to consolidate his position in the new royal court."
"Once he is completely secure, war between the Northern Frontier and Great Zhou is inevitable. In such circumstances, my sister's marriage alliance would only maintain a false peace that both nations are fully aware of!"
Qu Dubian spoke as calmly as he could. "It would be better to strike the Northern Frontier hard while the new royal court is just established."
This was the first time Emperor Chongzhao had heard his youngest son analyze the political affairs of two nations. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
"Xia Hong is gravely wounded. The northern border is unstable. The domestic disaster relief is not yet resolved. Now is not the time for war."
"After Zhiyi's marriage alliance, by uniting with the old faction of Princess A'Xiang from the previous royal court, she could exert some restraining influence on the new court. She might buy Great Zhou more time to recover."
Emperor Chongzhao continued, "Moreover, we must also guard against Nanning."
Qu Dubian saw what was spread out on the desk besides the black brocade.
It was a marriage alliance negotiation document submitted by the Ministry of Rites regarding the Northern Frontier. Emperor Chongzhao was in the process of revising it—the imperial decree for the alliance had not been issued, yet the negotiation document was already prepared.
"That is my sister," Qu Dubian stepped closer, enunciating each word clearly. "Father, the place you want to send her to is a land where nine out of ten die!"
Emperor Chongzhao looked up, his tone also turning stern. "She is your elder sister, but she is first and foremost a princess of Great Zhou! Those who partake of the sovereign's bounty must be loyal to the sovereign's affairs. This applies even to princesses."
Qu Dubian pressed his hands down on the table. "What does a moment of peace matter? Sending a woman to secure the state through marriage alliance—what use are all the men of Great Zhou then! For one or two years, or perhaps two or three years of peace, you would push my elder sister to the northern frontier. Father, you know perfectly well in your heart that this war, though hard-fought, is not unwinnable as you and the others claim. It's that you do not wish to fight!"
Emperor Chongzhao roared, "How dare you!"
"Yu Decai! Drag the Seventh Prince out of here!"
Eunuch Yu hurried forward. "Your Highness, you should leave for now."
His heart was pounding with terror.
Good heavens.
The Seventh Prince's stubborn temper truly hadn't changed in ten years.
But this was different from usual. The prince's usual mischief was over trivial daily matters, which could still be called playful banter between father and son.
To defy His Majesty on such a major issue was a first. Putting himself in the Seventh Prince's shoes, Eunuch Yu felt his own meager life dancing a square dance on the King of Hell's ledger.
Qu Dubian shook off Eunuch Yu's hand, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Emperor Chongzhao's furious face, and uttered three final words.
"You're afraid."
The three words slammed into Emperor Chongzhao's mind. With a roar in his head, his face flushed crimson, rage surging to his temples.
He smashed the brush holder beside him and pointed at the door. "Get out of my sight—"
Yu Decai, horrified, knelt on the floor. "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
"I will leave."
Qu Dubian cut off the emperor's words.
Emperor Chongzhao was about to say more, but he saw the glimmer of unshed tears in his youngest son's eyes, and another emotion he couldn't quite name, one that stabbed at his heart.
The remaining words died in his throat.
"Father."
Emperor Chongzhao's lips trembled slightly, a growing tightness in his throat.
That dull, suffocating ache at his core slowly spread outward.
Qu Dubian pointed at the black brocade once promised to him. "Is this—the hearts of the people from the three prefectures, which your son won with his life—enough to buy my elder sister a lifetime of peace?"
"The Northern Frontier, I will fight. In three years, five years, I will return to you a stable border."
Emperor Chongzhao struggled inwardly for a moment.
Father and son stared at each other for a long time.
Emperor Chongzhao said, "On what grounds will you fight, and why should I believe you? You are only fourteen this year, not yet attending court. How will you persuade the officials advocating for the marriage alliance? How will you command the respect of the frontier generals?"
Before Qu Dubian could speak, Emperor Chongzhao continued, "The promise I made you is limited to what you may ask for yourself, and it must be within reason."
"The matter of the marriage alliance is settled. Do not bring it up again."
That momentary wavering in Emperor Chongzhao seemed to have been an illusion. He turned his face away and closed the proposal.
"I am weary. You may go."
Qu Dubian slowly straightened up. His hands, which had been braced on the edge of the table, lifted, leaving deep red impressions on his palms.
"Did it pain your heart, Father, when Princess A'Xiang went for the marriage alliance?"
Emperor Chongzhao did not move.
Qu Dubian took a step back. "I have offended Your Majesty today. I beg Your Majesty to pronounce my punishment."
Emperor Chongzhao closed his eyes. "Leave."
Qu Dubian cupped his hands in salute, turned, and strode away.
He did not spare another glance for the black brocade symbolizing the promise on the table.
A long time after Qu Dubian had left, Eunuch Yu dared to rise from the floor, not daring to make a sound for quite a while.
He softened his voice to a near whisper. "Your Majesty, this black brocade..."
He received no answer.
Summoning his courage, Eunuch Yu glanced up at Emperor Chongzhao.
Anger still lingered in the emperor's eyes, but there was something else there besides wrath.
"I truly never imagined he would go this far for Zhiyi, to defy me to this extent."
Eunuch Yu lowered his gaze, expecting the emperor's next words to be an indictment of the Seventh Prince's disobedience.
Instead, he heard a somewhat weary voice say,
"Does he... hate me now..."
Eunuch Yu was taken aback, at a loss for how to respond for a long moment.
He finally managed a dry, "Certainly not."
Elsewhere.
Qu Dubian exited the gates of the Zichen Hall.
He intended to go to Shunning Palace, but his steps were slower than any previous time returning home.
However, after walking only a short distance, the sound of running footsteps came from ahead. Qu Dubian looked up and saw Zhiyi running towards him.
Zhiyi was out of breath, anxiety in her eyes. She circled him once.
"I was at Shunning Palace all afternoon, trying to console Mother and Lady Xuan. I only just heard you argued with Father. Are you alright? He didn't strike you, did he?"
"Where did he hit you? Let your elder sister see."
A sour ache instantly spread from the bridge of his nose to his eyes. Soundlessly, Qu Dubian embraced her, his arms tightening.
"He didn't hit me."
"Elder Sister, I'm sorry."
Zhiyi patted his back. "Oh, it's just a marriage alliance? Your elder sister isn't afraid!"
Qu Dubian said, "I am afraid."
Zhiyi blinked, forcing back the moisture in her own eyes before saying, "You've always been the bravest. Come, let's go back to the palace first."